Art of making can-bodies.



C. W. GRAHAM. ART OF MAKING CAN BODIES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2a, 1908.

Patented Sept 20, 1910.

/7 3 Ti 1 F1 z s v s 414 -E 2 5 Fi gfh W/TNESSES C 6 INVE 70/? I B J n grow/fi s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. C HARLES W. GRAHAM, 0F ROME, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ART OF MAKING CAN-BODIES.

p at of Letters Patent Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Application filed larch 23, 1808. Serial No. 422,660.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. CHARLES W. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rome. in the county of Oneida and State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Making Can-Bodies. of which the following is a full, clear. and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to carry on the same.

This invention relates to the art of making can bodies.

One of the objects thereof is to provide a simple and practical art for making strong. durable and etlicient can bodies.

Another object is to provide an art of the above type which can be quickly carried on without the aid of expensive and complicated apparatus.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the several steps and the relation or order of each of the same with respect to one or more of the others thereof as will be pointed out in the 'following descri tion and the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which certain features of this invention are diagrammatically illustrated, Figure 1 is a plan of a blank. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same, with portions cut away. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the member in edged or flanged condition. Fig. 4 is an end view showing the flanges interlocked one with another. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the joint humped or driven into closer condition. F ig. 6 is a similar view showing the member forced into elliptical form. and solder applied to the joint. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the device in a similar form and the joint wiped. Fig. 8 is a similar view, indicating a method of cooling the solder. Fig. 9 is an end view of the member in round form and in finished condition.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to Fig. 2 of these drawings, there are shown at 1 notches or recesses cut in the blank 2 shown in Fig. 1, which are preferably so positioned as to remove the corners of the original member. At the 0pposite edge of the blank 2 there are cut incisions preferabl of V-shape, and positioned as indicate at 3. After these portions are cut away the edge portion 4 and the edge portion 5 com rehended between incisions 3 are bent or anged in opposite directions, leaving unfianged the corner portions 6. The member is then placed in the form shown in F 4 of the drawings with the portions 4 and 5 interlocked or hooked together and the portions 6 resting over and outside the portions T of the opposite end. The joint thus formed is then bumped,-hammered, or otherwise driven into the ti hter condition indicated at 8 in Fig. 5 of the drawings. It may here be noted that by the expression bumping is meant any act whereb the parts to which it refers are forced into a more flat or more tightly interlocked condition. The member is then preferably formed temporarily into the elliptical or otherwise distorted form shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, and the solder 9 app ied thereto along the entire seam or joint as shown. It may here be noted that the term elliptical is used in a blond sense as cover ing any form in which the parts in which the seam lies are brought more nearly into a plane than when the member is in its free .or normal condition. It is -to be understood the seam lies are brought more nearly into the elliptical or otherwise distorted form, or similar terms, I mean so acting upon the body, against the resiliency thereof, but without destroying that quality, that a distorted shape will be given thereto temporarily while the distorting means are operative, and that the body, by the assertion of its natural resiliency, will return to itsoriglnal form when the operation of the distorting means is discontinued. The joint is then wiped to remove the exce$ of solder as indi cated at 10 in Fig. 7., the can preferably being maintained in elliptical condition, although this invention in its broader aspects is not limited to such distortion of the member acted upon. The solder is then cooled or hardened, as indicated in Fig. 8, preferably by the application of a jet of cold an,

as shown at 11. The member or can body is then in finished condition, insofar as this art is concerned, and may be permitted to resume its normal form, as indicated in Fig. 9.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a simple and eflicient art by which a strong. tight can body may be quickly formed. The interlocking of the flanges holds the edges together to permit the can to be readily stretched into elliptical form, and this stretching or distorting action is peculiarly adapted to press the free ends 6 of the can against the portions on which they lie. and thus not only economize solder but provide a thin end to the joint which admits of the can head being readily placed and sealed thereon. By the step of bumping or jamming together the form of seam used, the lap joint portions or ends of the seam, are -nioreover. forced inwardly. and thus rendered more susceptible to the effect of placing the body in elliptical form. The entire artmay, if desired. be carried on by hand, or. if it is preferred. certain portions thereof may be automatically effected by machinery.

As various changes could be made in the above described method of carrying on this invention without departing from the scope thereof and as the same could be carried on by the use of various types of apparatus. I intend that all matter set forth in this description or shown in the accompanying d 'awings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which. as a matter of language. might be said to fall therebev 5 resting upon the corresponding portions of tween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

to cool with the body in said elliptical form,

and releasing the body.

3. The art which comprises forming spaced incisions in a blank, fianging the edge comprehended between saidincisions. flanging the opposite edge of the blank. in terlocking said flanged edges and producing substantially the desired final form of body. forcing the body into temporarily distortd form with said interlocking edges in a portion of reduced convexity. soldering said opposite edges in assembled relation throughoutsaid interlocking and overlapping portions thereof. permittin the joint to cool with said body in said distorted form. and releasing the body. I

4. The art which comprises forming substantially V-shaped incisions in one edge of a blank. Hanging the edge comprehended between said incisions. fianging the opposite edge of the blank. interlocking said flanged edges with the unflanged portion overlapping and resting upon the outside of the corresponding portion of the opposite edge and producing substantially the desired final form of body, forcing the body into temporarily distorted form with said interlocking edges in a ortion of reduced convexity. soldering sai opposite edges in assembled relation throughout the interlocking and overjoint to cool with said body in said distorted form. and then releasing the latter.

5. The art which comprises cutting away the corner portions of a blank. forming spaced incisions in the opposite edge of said I blank. Hanging the edge portions between 1. The art which comprises flanging the 3 opposite edges of a blank. interlocking said flanged edges and producing substantially the desired final form of body. distorting said body within the limit of its elasticity and holding it in temporarily distorted form.

with said interlocking edges in. a portion of reduced convexity. soldering said interlocking edges. permitting the joint to cool with the body in said distorted form. and permitting the body to resume its form first mentioned.

2. The art which comprises fianging the opposite edges of a blank. interlocking said l flanged edges and producing substantially the desired final form of body. forcin said body within the limit of its elasticity into temporarily elliptical form and holding it in said form with said interlocking edges in said incisions and between said first portions. interlocking said flanged edges with the unflanged portions overlapping and the opposite edge and producing substantially the desired final form of body. forcing the body into temporarily distorted form with said interlocking members in a portion of reduced con exity. soldering the opposite edges in assembled relation throughout said interlocking and overlapping portions thereof. permitting the joint to cool with said body in said distorted form, and releasing the latter.

(3. The art which comprises cutting away the corner portions at one edge of a blank, forming substantially V-shaped incisions in the opposite edge of said blank, Han ing the portions between said incisions and be tween said first portions. interlocking said flanged edges'with unflanged. portions overlapping and resting upon the corresponding portions of the opposite edge and producing substantially the final form of body. forcing the body into temporarily distorted form with said interlocking members in a portion lapping portions thereof. permitting the of reduced convexity, soldering the opposite I edges in assembled relation throughout said i interlocking and overlapping portions thereof, permitting the joint to cool with said body in saiddistorted form, and releasing the latter.

v 7. The art which comprises cutting away portions of one edge of a blank, flanging the edge comprehended between said portions, flanging the opposite edge of said blank, intel-locking said flanged edges and producing substantially the desired final form of body. forcing the body into temporarily distorted form with said interlocking members in a portion of reduced convexit soldering the opposite edges in assemblet relation with the body in said distorted form, permitting the joint to cool with said body in said distorted form, and then releasing the latter.

8. The art which comprises cuttin away portions of one edge of a blank, flanglng the edge comprehended between said portions, forming incisions in the op osite edge spaced at a distance substantially equal to the length of said flanged portion of said first edge, flanging the edge comprehended between said incisions. interlocking said flanged edges and producin substantially the desired final form of bo y, forcing the body into temporarily distorted form with said interlocking edges in a portion of reduced convexit soldering the opposite edges in assem led condition, permitting the joint to cool with said body in said distorted form, and releasing the latter.

9. The art which comprises cuttin rectangular portions from one edge of a blank, flanging the edge portion comprehended therebet-ween. forming substantially V- shaped incisions in the opposite ed e of said blank, said incisions being spaced at a distance substantially equal to the length of said flanged edges, flanging the edge between said incisions, interlocking said flanged edges with the unflanged portions of the second edge overlapping and resting upon the outside of the corresponding portlons of the opposite ed and producing substantially the desire final form of body, forcing said body into temporarily distorted form with said interlocking edges in a portion of reduced convexity, soldering the opposite edges in assembled relation through out the overlapping and interlocking portions thereof, permlttin the joint to cool with saidbody in said istorted form, and releasing the latter.

10. The art which comprises forming spaced incisions in a member, flanging the edge comprehended between said incisions, flanging the opposite edge of the member, interlocking sal flanged edges with the unflanged portion overlapping and resting upon the outside of the corresponding portion of the opposite edge, holding said memher in elliptical form with said interlocked edges in a portion of reduced convexity. soldering said opposite edges in assembled relation throughout said interlocking and overlapping portions thereof. permitting the joint to cool with the member in said elliptical form. and releasing the same.

11. The art which comprises forming substantially V-shaped incisions in one edge of a member. flanging the edge comprehended between said incisions. flanging the opposite edge of the member. interlocking said flanged edges with the unflanged portion overlapping and resting upon the outside of the corresponding portion of the opposite edge. holding said member in elliptical form with said interlocked edges in a )ortion of reduced convexity. soldering said opposite edges in assembled relation throughout the interlock in and overlapping portions thereof, permitting the joint to cool with said member in said elliptical form, and releasing the same.

1:2. The art which comprises cutting away the corner portions at one end of a member, forming spaced incisions in the opposite edge of said member, flanging the edge portions between said incisions and between said first portions, interlocking said flanged edges with the unflanged portions overlapping and resting upon the outside of the corresponding portions of the op osite edge, holding said member in ellipticaFform with said interlocking edges in a portion of re duced convexit soldering the opposite edges in assemb ed relation throughout said interlocking and overlapping portions thereof, permitting the joint to cool with said member in said elliptical form, and releasing the same.

13. The art which comprises cutting away the corner portions at one end of a member, forming substantially V-shaped incisions in the opposite edge of said member, flanging the portions between said incisions and between said first portions, interlocking said flanged edges with the unflanged portions overlapping and resting upon the outside of the corresponding ortions of the opposite edge, holding sai member in elliptical form with said interlocking edges in a portion of reduced convexity, soldering the opposite edges in assembled relation throughout said lnterlockin and overlapping portions thereof, permitting the 'omt to cool with said member in said elliptical form, and releasing the same.

14. The art which comprises cutting away portions of one end of a member, flanging the ed e comprehended between said portions, anging the opposite edge of said member, interlocking said flanged edges, holding said member in elliptical form with said interlocked flanges in a portion of reduced convexity, soldering the opposite edges in assembled relation, permitting the joint to cool with said member in said elliptit-a1 form, and releasing said member.

15. The art which Comprises cutting away portions of one edge of a member, flanging the edge comprehended between said portions, forming incisions in the opposite edge spaced at a distance substantially equal to the length of said flanged portion of said first edge, flanging the edge comprehended between said incisions, interlocking said flanged edges, holding said member in elliptical form with said interlocking flanges in a portion of reduced convexity, soldering the same in assembled condition, permitting the joint to cool with said member in said elliptical form, and releasing the same.

16. The art which comprises cuttingrectangular portions from one edge of a member, forming substantially V-shaped incisions in the opposite edge of said member, said incisions being spaced at a distance substantially equal to that between said first portions, flanging the edges between said incisions and between said first portions, interlocking said flanged edges with the unflanged portions of the second edge overlapping and restin upon the outside of the corresponding portions of the opposite edge, holding said member in elliptical form with the joint formed by said interlocking flanges in a portion of reduced convexity, soldering the opposite edges in assembled relation throughout the interlocking and overlapping portions thereof, permitting the joint to cool with said member in said elliptical form, and releasing the same.

17. The art which comprises cutting rectangular portions from one edge of a member, forming substantially V-shaped' incisions in the opposite edge of said member, said incisions being spaced at a distance substantially equal to that between said first portions, flanging the edges between said incisions and. between said first portions interlocking said flanged portions with the unflanged portions of the second edge overlapping and resting upon the out-side of the corresponding portion of theopposite edge,

bumping the joint formed by said interlocking flanges, holding said member in elliptical form with said joint in a portion of reduced convexity, soldering the opposite edges in assembled relation throughout the interlocking and overlapping portions thereof, permitting the joint to cool withsaid member in said elliptical form, and releasing said member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES \V. GRAHAM. *itnesses F. B. BEERS, L. D. Trans. 

